Martin Admits Culpability

Prime Minister Paul Martin admitted that he was to blame for desperate funding shortfalls for the Canadian Armed Forces:

Martin had just finished lunch with a group of soldiers at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier when he promised to invest more money in troops and equipment.

"We have to turn around our dwindling investment which, I admit, I have a certain responsibility for causing," said Martin, who was finance minister in the 1990s when the military's budget was cut and troop levels dropped.

Well, you can't dispute that, except to question the emphasis on how much responsibility is really his: the Finance Minister is the most powerful member of cabinet, aside from the PM, so you'd have to say that he'd be primarily responsible for the malign neglect the Forces suffered on his watch, yes?

"Your superiors here are just too polite to say it," he added, causing scattered laughter among the soldiers.

Followed by hooting, jeering, and simulated vomiting by senior NCOs and junior officers. Or, for those who still treasure hopes of promotion, perhaps just sardonic smiles.

On several occasions this fall, Martin has promised to boost military spending but hasn't offered details.

That couldn't be because he doesn't intend to keep 'em, could it?

On Monday, Martin repeated old commitments to buy helicopters, supply ships and mobile gun systems and enlist 5,000 new soldiers for the Canadian Forces and 3,000 extra reservists.

Well, aside from pending lawsuits, the helicopter deal finally did get awarded, so that's old news now. The supply ships have yet to be designed, so that's a headache for the next PM (or the one after that). The mobile gun systems are still pretty much vapourware (and the last reports from the US were that they were not going to be particularly effective weapon systems). And finding more quality recruits is a challenge under normal circumstances — especially if the crack-brained notion of a "Peacekeeping Brigade" drains away most or all of those new recruits.

Aside from those minor quibbles, you'd have to say that Supreme Leader Paul had a nice outing.

Hat tip to Spotlight on Military News.